Lyme Science Blog

Prolonged Antibiotics for Lyme Disease: What the Debate Shows Some Lyme disease patients remain ill after standard treatment Persistent symptoms may lead clinicians to consider prolonged antibiotic therapy The debate reflects ongoing uncertainty surrounding chronic symptoms and recovery According to an annual nationwide survey, 20.3% of respondents reported being treated for Lyme disease for 5 […]

Post-Infectious Syndromes After Tick-Borne Illness Some patients continue to experience symptoms long after a tick-borne infection has been treated or the acute illness has resolved. These lingering health problems are often described as post-infectious syndromes. Post-infectious illness is recognized after many infections. In the case of tick-borne diseases, similar patterns have been reported following Lyme

Fatal Neuroborreliosis: Can Lyme Disease Be Fatal? Neuroborreliosis rarely becomes life threatening Severe neurologic symptoms may complicate diagnosis Competing illnesses may affect outcomes Fatal neuroborreliosis Lyme disease is uncommon, but severe neurologic Lyme disease can create complex diagnostic and treatment challenges. Neuroborreliosis typically presents with headaches, meningitis, facial palsy, radicular pain, cognitive symptoms, or other

Lyme Carditis Diagnosis: ECG Findings in 18 Cases Lyme carditis may cause fluctuating ECG abnormalities AV block, bradycardia, and arrhythmias may occur early in infection Prompt recognition may help prevent serious cardiac complications Lyme carditis is a potentially serious complication of Lyme disease involving inflammation of the heart tissue and cardiac conduction system. “[Lyme carditis]

10 Lyme Disease Insights That May Change How You View Symptoms and Recovery Lyme disease symptoms are often unpredictable Diagnosis and recovery can be more complex than expected These 10 insights may change how you think about Lyme disease Patients often ask why Lyme disease seems so difficult to diagnose, treat, and explain. Some recover

Doctors have also shared their frustration in a survey taken by Dr. Lynora Saxinger, an infectious disease specialist and associate professor at the University of Alberta’s medical school. Lyme disease myths may lead to frustrations for doctors. The survey reported that “30% [of doctors] said they have been pressured to give antibiotics and almost 90%

Following is a list of the top blogs on Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses for 2019 according to our readers.  (Please click on the headline to read the complete Lyme disease blogs.) 1.) First report of Lyme disease causing mitral valve endocarditis There have been multiple reports documenting cardiac manifestations of Lyme disease, including

Can Controlled Burns Reduce Tick Populations? Controlled burns may temporarily reduce ticks. Tick density appears lower in burned areas. Long-term Lyme disease risk remains uncertain. Can controlled burns reduce tick populations and lower the risk of tick-borne disease? Researchers studying tick populations in eastern Texas found that areas with a history of controlled burns had

Can Lyme Disease Be Fatal? When Untreated Lyme Carditis Leads to Death Quick Answer: Lyme disease is rarely fatal, but untreated Lyme carditis can lead to dangerous heart rhythm abnormalities and sudden death. When cardiac symptoms appear, antibiotics should not be delayed. Can you die from Lyme disease? While uncommon, untreated Lyme carditis can cause

Can Lyme Disease Cause Weight Loss? Bannwarth Syndrome Case Lyme disease may rarely present with unexplained weight loss Bannwarth syndrome can cause painful radiculopathy and facial palsy Neurologic Lyme disease may be overlooked in atypical cases Lyme disease may occasionally present with unexpected symptoms such as significant weight loss, liver dysfunction, neuropathy, or severe radicular